In this review we will discover Forza Motorsport, Microsoft’s new sim racing game and see how it performed on our PC
Simulation video games are the typical niche genre open to everyone which over the years has led various enthusiasts to run and dream even when it wasn’t possible to do it in real life. Over the years, not only have the various video games dedicated to the sim racing genre increased, but they have also many parameters have been improved which make the experience more faithful to real life.
To guarantee the maximum experience, the hardware has also evolved, providing us with increasingly precise and responsive steering wheels and pedals, but which can also give realistic feedback. Thanks to these new technologies, the developers of Turn 10 Studios have made their latest video game, but have they succeeded in giving us something realistic and compelling? All we have to do is start this one review regarding Forza Motorsport to find out and see how it performed on our PC.
An important evolution…
Let’s probably start from what it is the most important chapter for a game of this kind. The realism, in fact, is the main element that allows you to understand whether it is a good game or not. In this sense we can safely say that the saga dedicated to Forza motorsport has taken an important step forward.
From the first corners we could notice one very important realistic rendering for this genre of video games. The great variety of machines, in fact, guarantees us a different approach depending on some factors: car model, aerodynamics (including the various setups that we can make during competitions), environmental conditions, tire wear and so on. Every detail will be fundamental and our driving will have to adapt to the latter to be able to compete at the highest levels.
During a race it will therefore be important evaluate a strategy that best suits our guide. If we are the type who “burns” the tires in a few laps and if the asphalt is very abrasive, we will have to opt for a harder compound, otherwise in a qualifying session we will choose the softer one. In some cases, however, our plans could be compromised by the arrival of rain and therefore we will be forced to make an emergency pit stop.
Il variable weather makes them much more dynamic races and, although it doesn’t seem to have been realistically managed in the best way due to the rather rapid timing in short competitions, it is still a good starting point that can satisfy the player in longer competitions. Furthermore, just the weather could be the decisive element for a departure. In fact, all races start with the cars lined up on the grid, but heavy rain could start a race with a rolling start.
… with some aspects to improve | Forza Motorsport review
Quite realistic driving and variable weather they are not the only realistic aspects that should have been taken into account. Unfortunately, the realism of the guys at Turn 10 Studios focuses almost exclusively on the track where you race. The boxes seem to be free from these very important aspectsso much so that not only are the times quite unusual (both for changing tires and for repairing damage), but there is also the total absence of mechanics, almost as if to reiterate that realism stops on the track.
Some details that matter to us violently return to the reality of the factsmaking us understand that we are not driving a real racing car and that our adventure is limited only to a video game which, although well made in terms of driving, remains a simple video game.
A career that leaves us perplexed | Forza Motorsport review
If you are looking for a title that will let you create your own driver to take to the pinnacle of world success through growth in the various championships, forget it. Forza Motorsport’s career mode, in fact, is divided into many small leagues, each absolutely independent of the other. The only thing that binds them is the fact of having to compete a certain amount in order to unlock another one.
Each championship will be characterized by some races and each of these will be composed of a free practice session and the race itself. You can therefore immediately notice the absence of qualifications, this is because will be the userbased on the outcome of the free practice, to decide where you want to position yourself on the starting grid. The further you choose to get behind you, the greater the reward will be if you manage to finish on the podium or even win the race. However, you will also have to better evaluate the risks you will run in starting from the rear.
You will often be involved in accidental collisions that could cause you to spin, irreparably compromising the race since there will only be a few laps and recovering will be impossible. In our opinion it would have been better qualification system that rewarded the player equallythus making it easier to compete without having to transform everything into a system that can depress the player due to an accident caused by an AI that is not impeccable, although better than in the past.
Furthermore, always in this mode, we often found ourselves having to competing against cars that were fitted with better performing tires than ours, as shown in the screens below. This because it was not possible for us to change the compound, fitting a more performing one or the wet one in case of rain. All of this obviously made our races very difficult, having to adjust the accelerator and brake impeccably with the risk of losing the car at every corner.
An interesting multiplayer | Forza Motorsport review
The multiplayer mode, on the other hand, seemed better organized, both for the way in which it was conceived and for other small measures that can improve the experience of each user. The format is almost similar to that of the races proposed in the career mode, with the addition of qualifications obviously.
Before starting to compete freely, however, each user will have to face three “qualifying” raceswhich will decree two important parameters: Safety e Ability. The first is nothing more than a rating assigned to the user based on his behavior on the track; the penalties taken by the player due to failure to comply with the rules and the accidents caused will have an impact. This parameter will be fundamental to be able to participate in some competitions that would otherwise be inaccessible.
However, the penalties inflicted are not appropriate to the damage suffered/inflicted and, often, they will not even be given or will be given incorrectly. It happened to us more than once that, during a race, an opponent “cannonballed” us from behind, because he couldn’t brake or because he didn’t feel like it, and while we ended up long in the grass, with a lot of loss of extra time because the grip is non-existent, he continued the race undisturbed without penalties. Other times, however, keeping the inside line and with the car clearly ahead of the opponent’s, if he squeezed us and hit us the penalty was assigned to us.
With Skill, however, you take into account the results obtained by the driver during the races; winning will help increase your score while coming last will obviously decrease it. This parameter, however, in our opinion, not a good yardstick for matchmaking. In this way, in fact, some players who are very skilled at driving, but who finished last due to their opponents knocking them off the track and others who do not have the same driving skills, will be able to compete together. Surely this yardstick should be reviewed, perhaps taking Security as a fundamental parameter.
3, 2, 1 via!
We have now reached the end of this review regarding Forza Motorsport and the time has come to take stock. The game looks like a good title from a simulation point of view. Having such a wide choice of cars, each characterized by a different driving style, is certainly something of no small importance. Driving the car also It varies a lot even during a raceboth due to the decreasing petrol load and due to the wear of the tires themselves.
Il variable weather is the icing on the cake which will make the races more exciting thanks to the various pit stops which may or may not decide the success of a race. Changing tires at the right time will allow you to have a advantage over opponents in terms of grip and therefore a better starting point to reach and overcome them. From this point of view it seems to be all roses, except if we look at the details, small but importantwhich the motorsport environment has.
The simulation experience vanishes once we leave the track to enter the pit entrance, completely devoid of mechanics and with very unrealistic times. Other small choices made by the developers are also very questionable, such as a career that isn’t a careerwith all the associated limitations: no choice of tires during an event, no qualification and grid position according to the user’s feelings, just to name a few.
The multiplayer sector, on the other hand, promises well, with a fairly good experience thanks to the two parameters to take into consideration for access to some events. However, only a pilot’s skill is taken into account for matchmaking, parameter that can be highly influenced by other playersand not the one relating to safety which should reward those who respect the rules.
In short, a truly addictive title that definitely deserves to be played for the high realism that they managed to give him, at least on the track, but that It could definitely be better thanks to some small adjustments that the developers will be able to take later, or at least that’s what we hope. That’s all for this Forza Motorsport review. To ensure you don’t miss any details regarding the gaming universe, continue following tutottek.it! If, however, you are looking for some slightly discounted titles, you can consult the Instant Gaming catalogue.
Realistic, but not completely
Points in favor
- Realism…
- Comparto multiplayer
- Dynamic weather
Points against
- …absent in the pits
- Career mode
- Penalties not always fair